The task of hooking a trailer to a towing vehicle presents a frustrating challenge to most recreational vehicle (RV) drivers. Typically, horizontal positioning error must be less than ½ inch in all directions to allow mating. Lack of line-of-sight vision to the hitch or ball, and attendant vehicle positioning difficulties are, in the RV community, a legendary recurring irritation even with the assistance of a spotter. When the driver is unaided, this blind spot forces multiple backup cycles: exit vehicle, walk to the rear to observe position, calculate next movement, reenter vehicle, backup once more, and repeat. The weight of the trailer tongue inhibits manual lateral alignment of the trailer hitch, thus requiring the repeated attempts at backward positioning of the vehicle.
The present disclosure provides new and novel solutions to overcome problems inherent in the prior art by, for the first time, providing a translationally maneuverable trailer jack track system. A lateral line of hitch locations viable for hookup, rather than a single point, widens the area of vehicle positioning which permits proper mating of hitch and ball, and expands proportionately the tolerance for side to side positioning error by the driver. As a further feature and benefit, the rearward relocation of the jack on the trailer tongue, required for translational movement between the trailer frame rails, creates space for the tailgate or other rear enclosure of the towing vehicle to open fully and thus allows access to the rear compartment of said towing vehicle. This feature and benefit may be achieved by jack rearward relocation, with or without the translational movement feature.